Attolight AG

Attolight build high resolution cathodoluminescence microscopes to detect subsurface defects combined with nanometer scale mapping resolution. We have applications in detecting defects in III-V manufacturing, research & development and failure analysis.

The Internet of Things, Big Data, and Clean Tech rely heavily on performance and innovation in semiconductor materials and devices. We perform quality control during their development and production and help increase performance and accelerate innovation.

EAG Laboratories and Attolight Announce Partnership

EAG Laboratories, a global scientific services company that provides testing, analytical and characterization services to technology- and life-science-related industries, and Attolight AG, a manufacturer of integrated quantitative cathodoluminescence instruments have partnered to offer U.S. customers a new Measurement Service Center in Raleigh, NC.

Cathodoluminescence is a non-destructive characterization method that provides a deeper understanding of material structures and properties than many other available techniques. The combination of electron and light microscopy reveals ultra-trace impurities and crystallographic defects not visible using other imaging techniques. The technology is used in a variety of applications, including LED and laser performance and reliability, GaN power transistors, deep UV emitters, solar cell efficiency, plasmonics, geology and biosensors. Additionally the tool delivered to EAG will be capable of performing integrated photoluminescence and EBIC measurements.

“The Attolight Allalin CL-SEM4027 is a great example of technology that enables modern industry to push the boundaries of science. It’s one more way EAG can help its customers continuously innovate and improve the reliability of their products.” said Patrick Schnabel, Ph.D., Vice-President, Advanced Imaging of EAG. “We are thrilled to add this powerful tool to EAG’s arsenal of analytical capabilities,” said Schnabel.

“We are very pleased that EAG has selected our cutting edge, quantitative CL-SEM/EBIC system” cited Samuel Sonderegger, Attolight’s CEO and co-founder. This new instrument creates new opportunities for the photonics and materials analyses and wide range of applications EAG handles every day.”

Attolight builds fully integrated cathodoluminescence systems with best-in-class collection efficiency and reproducibility. All products feature Attolight’s proprietary quantitative cathodoluminescence technology. The company’s products are used in FA laboratories, material research laboratories, and semiconductor industry. Major application fields include: R&D and reliability assessment for LEDs, lasers, power transistors, nano-electronic devices, and solar cells. The Company was founded in 2008 and is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Products

Allalin

The Allalin is a nanometer resolution spectroscopy instrument, based on a disruptive technology known as quantitative cathodoluminescence that integrates a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) into one tool.... More Info Less Info

The Allalin allows for “No Compromise” large field/fast scanning simultaneous SEM imaging with hyperspectral or panchromatic CL maps. The system was constructed from the ground up to attain the best cathodoluminescence performance without sacrificing the SEM performance: the light microscope and the objective lens of the SEM are carefully integrated so that their focal planes match each other; the light microscope is machined with sub-micrometer precision so as to an achromatic, high numerical aperture (N.A. 0.71) detection with superior photon collection efficiency over a large field of view — up to 300µm — compared with traditional CL technologies. As a result, quantitative cathodoluminescence, where instrument related artifact can intrinsically be ruled out as an explanation for a spectral feature or a contrast, becomes conceivable for the first time.

Key benefits

Designed from the ground up as an integrated CL-SEM system

puts optical collection withinthe electron column

Requires ZERO optical alignment for CL

Highest collection efficiency over a field of view (FOV) of 300µm

Ensures CL uniformity and reproducibility, making the system quantitativeas well as qualitative.Quantitative: the photon collection efficiency is constant (+- 1%) over a large FOV of 300 µm (no vignetting); a 300 µm map is performed without any displacement of the specimen: cathodoluminescence results are reproducible and comparable.

The Chronos is a variable temperature time-resolved nanometer resolution spectroscopy instrument that builds on the Allalin quantitative CL system.
In time-resolved mode, the same gun is driven by an ultrafast laser to create short electron pulses.... More Info Less Info

Chronos - picosecond time-resolved cathodoluminescence (pTRCL) system

The Chronos is a variable temperature time-resolved nanometer resolution spectroscopy instrument that builds on the Allalin quantitative CL system. In continuous operation mode, the Chronos works like the Allalin system using the same high current density Schottky field emission gun. In time-resolved mode, the same gun is driven by an ultrafast laser to create short electron pulses. Attolight’s highly efficient quantitative CL collection system is a crucial component of the Chronos since excitation currents in pulsed mode are up to thousand times less intense than in continuous mode.

Careful synchronization of the excitation laser and the detectors makes time-resolved CL in the picosecond regime a reality. Switching between pulsed and continuous mode is automated and takes a couple of minutes, which makes the system a perfect fit for a multiuser facility where users have multiple demands and throughput is important.

The Chronos is built for researchers who need to access dynamic spectroscopic information with nanometer spatial and picosecond temporal resolutions.

The Chronos features a comprehensive set of ultrafast detectors to cover the UV to IR wavelength range and to optimize performance for your applications. The Chronos’ versatile design also makes it capable of performing advanced methods such as pump/probe spectroscopy and dynamic SEM.

Key benefits

Automated switching between continuous and time-resolved mode within minutes

No degradation of spatial resolution when switching from continuous to pulsed mode

Same dedicated graphical user interface and control software as the Allalin, featuring time-resolved detectors

Extension to include advanced characterization techniques such as pump / probe spectroscopies or dynamic SEM

Large choice of detectors and detector technologies to cover the wavelength range from 200nm (UV) to 1700nm (IR)

Scripting functionality to automate measurements and configure the system for specific needs